NFLer Newton apologizes for sexist comments

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Cam Newton apologized Thursday night in a Twitter video post for sexist comments made to a female reporter.

“After careful thought, I understand that my word choice was extremely degrading and disrespectful to women,” the Carolina Panthers quarterback said at the start of the nearly two-minute video. “To be honest, that was not my intentions. And if you are a person who took offence to what I said, I sincerely apologize to you.”

On Wednesday, when Charlotte Observer reporter Jourdan Rodrigue asked the 2015 NFL MVP about receiver Devin Funchess’ route running, Newton laughed and said, “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes. It’s funny.”

The NFL released a statement saying Newton’s response to the question was “just plain wrong and disrespectful to the exceptional female reporters and all journalists who cover our league.”

But it doesn’t appear there will be any punishment handed out.

“I think there are conversations going on at the club level with the appropriate people, with the Panthers,” NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said in a conference call Thursday. “I don’t want to anticipate the league stepping in there.”

Dannon, the maker of Oikos yogurt, cut ties with spokesman Newton on Thursday. The company released a statement saying it was “shocked and disheartened” at the former league MVP’s behaviour and comments.

Rodrigue issued an apology herself Thursday after coming under fire for using a racial slur in tweets she posted about four years ago. The tweets were first reported by BlackSportsOnline.com.

“I apologize for the offensive tweets from my Twitter account from 4/5 years ago,” Rodrigue said on her Twitter account. “There is no excuse for these tweets and the sentiment behind them. I am deeply sorry and apologize.”